Federal Labor MP Michael Danby has thrown down the gauntlet to Labor elder Bob Carr, challenging him to a televised debate on the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Mr Carr’s office told SBS World News the former NSW Premier and federal foreign minister would not be responding to “anything Mr Danby has to say”, following a Sky News interview in which Mr Danby called Mr Carr “gutless."
The NSW Labor conference will soon vote on a motion to unconditionally recognise Palestine as a state, The Australian reports, representing a more pro-Palestinian position than the current federal stance of working towards a conditional two-state solution.
Mr Danby, the Federal MP for Melbourne Ports and a vocal supporter of Israel, blamed Bob Carr for the push in NSW.
“It’s Bob Carr orchestrating some resolutions on the Middle East to fuel his obsession,” Mr Danby told Sky News, alleging the NSW conference was being used as a vehicle to “put pressure on our federal leadership”.
“Bob Carr is gutless. Why doesn’t he comes on the TV and debate me on Israel, the Middle East or China?”
“Any time, any day, anywhere,” he offered.
Mr Danby said Mr Carr’s criticisms of Israel were hypocritical because he was less critical of China, despite the people of Tibet living with the “Chinese boot on their neck”.
Mr Carr currently works for the Australia China Relations Institute, hosted at the University of Technology Sydney.
Plibersek, Wong would not support the change
While the results of the NSW conference would not necessarily impact federal Labor’s policy, several front-benchers in the Shorten opposition have said they support the current position.
Shadow foreign minister Penny Wong and deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek both support the current Labor position.
Several senior Labor figures – including Bob Hawke, Bob Carr, Kevin Rudd and Gareth Evans – have recently argued for Palestinian recognition.
